Coupler



i 53mg. 9, 1932. E, Jj. CON-rois 1,370,605

' y GOUPLER Filed Jan. vnur. 1930 2 sheets-'Sheet 2 '35 member is employed orholdirig th Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES ELY J. CONTIS, 0F BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 CLARK. TR'UCTRACTB COMPANY, OF BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MIGHIGAN COUPLEB Application fled January 17, 1930. Serial No. 421,387.

This invention relates to coupling devices, and more particularly to a coupler adapted for use in coupling together a tractor and a l trailer,lor two or more trailers to forma train. v

Coupling devices of the general character referred to are known in the art, by means of which a tractor and a trailer, or two trailers, are automatically'coupled together in by relative movement of the same toward each other. In devices of'this character it is known to use a latch member for coupling engagement with a coupling ring or equivalent member, this ring being carried by a ai coupling head and the latch member being erted thereon by the coupling ring or equivvsilent member, due to uneveuness in the licor T9 or supporting suriace, with the result that the trailers become uncoupled with consequent delav and possible damage.

Une of the main objects of my invention to provide coupling; means in which a lf ring or. equivalent membercco draw head, this latch `and the dra' f l l so related that the stresses incident to couu pling and to transportation oi the load are fl@ 'taken lov the draw head thusielievingfg` the latch member of all stresses of such a nature as to be injurious thereto. Another' object is to provide a novel relation between the draw passage for entrance of the draw head, and also serve to prevent excessive lateral movehead and latch member whereby casual open- @5 ing vof the latch member due to pressure exv trailer.,

erted thereon by the coupling ring or equivalent member is electively eliminated. urther objects and advantages of my invention will a pear from the detailed description.

In t edrawingszv y Figure vl is a plan view of'a coupler constructed in accordance with my invention as applied and with the parts in coupled relation;

Figure 2 is an underneath viewvof the draw head and the coupling ring, broken awa and shown in coupled relation;

Figure 3 is a side view of the coupler, with the parts in coupled relation, the coupling head being partly broken away and the couplinggring being shown in section;

Figure l is a. sectional view ltaken substantially on line 4 4 of Figure 1. 4 I have illustrated my coupler as -applied to two trailers indicated by reinforcing angle bars l and 2 suitably secured to the respective trailers, though it is equally capable of being used with a tractor and a trailer. For convenience oi' description I consider the` trailer l. as the forward trailer and the trailer 2 as the rearward trailer. A U-shapccl bracket lv-is bolted or otherwise suitably securedto v therein'forcing angle bar 1 of the forward A coupling head 4 is pivotally mounted in bracket 3,4 for movement on a. horizontal exis, by means of a. pivot pin 5 passing through the ends of the arms of the braclet and through bearing eyes 6 of the '.he coupling head is similar to-thatidisyl the copending application of Allred V. Williams forV coupler, filed March '8, i929, Serial No. 345,296. This head comprises adepending apron 7 which includes a rectangular socket elementv 8 and 10 diverging outwardly from the side arms of the socket element.

These wings define an inwardly converging ment of the draw head relative to the couk` v to its arcuate shape, Ijte'rm the element 11 a cou ling ring. The circular cross section of this element, shown in Figures 3 and 4, is preferred though not essential. The apron 7 and associated parts are disposed .at one side of the axis of pin and a counterweight 12 is disposed at the other side of such axis. This counterweight is connected to the wings of the apron by sidearms 13 of substantially T-shape in cross section," these arms' being formed integrally with the apron, that is, with wings of the apron, and withthe counterweight 12 and bearing eyes 6. Socket element 8 is connected to the counterweight 12 centrally thereof by a web element 14. By this construction, I provide the apron as an vintegral part of the head, the head being preferably cast as a unit. The counter-,weight l12 is of proper value to coun- `terbalance the apron vand associated parts thus holding the head in substantially horizontal position.

It will be noted that the coupling element 11 is arched outwardly away from the apron, thus facilitating coupling between two trailers, or a tractor and a trailer, which may be disposed at a decided angular relation laterally of the coupling head. It will also be noted (Figures 3 and 4) that the pin 5 is above the coupling element 11 so that pres sure exerted on this element in the direction of the forward trailer will tend to rock the apron and, therefore, element' 11 downwardly about pin 5.

' TheI coupling head 4, constructed and mounted in the manner illustrated and de scribed, cooperates with a draw head 15 bolted or otherwise suitablv secured to angle bar 2 of the rear trailer. The draw head 15 comprises a base 16 from which extend thev boltxng flanges 17 and arms 18 extending forwardly from the base and formed integrally therewith. interior and exterior webs 19 and 20, respectively, connecting the lateral faces of these arms to the base. Each of the arms is provided with an inwardly projecting boss 21 defining an upwardly opening recess.,

these recesses being aligned transversely of the head and forming aslot for reception of the coupling ring or element 11. As will be noted more clearly from Figure 1, the walls at the end of this slot are of arcuate shape so as to permit of relative turning movement between'the draw'hea'd 15 and cou# pling head 4. v

As will be noted more clearly from Figures i 3 and 4, the head 15 is inclined downwardly and forwardly and the forward or outer portion of each arm 18 is of approximately semielliptical shape, as at 18a. l The arms 18'are connected, at the upper portions of their forward ends, by an inteal web 22. A latch member 23 is disposed gtween the arms 18 of head 15.- This member is of approximately elongated U-shaped and has its lower arm 24 provided witha depending element 25 which carries an integral hub 26. This huh receives a pin 27 suitably secured through ,the arms 18. Latch member 23 extends below the slot which receives element 11 and then upwardl about the inner end of the slot and forwar ly over the u per open side thereof. The upper arm 28 o the latch member constitutes a ard for normally closing the upper side o the slot and this arm 28 is rovi-ded with an extension 29 having lateraiianges 30, the under faces of these flanges as well as the extension 29 bein inclined downwardly and inwardly towa the slot.l Extension 29, and the associated flanges 30, cooperate with the upper face of the forward portion of head 15 to provide a ssage which converges towards the slot in t e head fondirecting the coupling ring 11 into the slot upon relative movement of the coupling head and the draw head toward each other. Element 29 is conveniently provided with an elongated opening 31 therein, and a circular opening 32, to facilitate movement of the latch member into inoperative position either by grasping the same directl or by insertion of a rod or equivalent mem r through the opening 32.

As will be noted more clearly from Figures 3 and 4, the forward wall of the slot which receives the element 11 is of arcuate shape, andthe arc of this wall is substantially concentric with the coupling ring 11 when this ring is at the front or outer end of the slot, as shown. It is to be particularly noted that the axis of pin27 is inthe vertical lane of the center of coupling ring 411, w en this coupling ring is at the outer 'end of the slot, i

such plane being indicated by the line a--b of Figure 3. Under'such conditions, any up ward pressure which may be exerted upon arm 28 of the latch member by ring 11, will not tend to turn this latch member about the vpin 27 into open position, since such pressure ca n be exerted only at a point in. vertical alignment with the axis of pin 27 or at points in rear of such axis. This is advantageous-as effectively preventing casual opening of the latch member due to pressure exerted thereon bv the relative upward movement of the couphng ring 11. In this manner I assure that the members ofthe coupling will not become uncoupled during transportation of the load.

The latch member 23 is normally held in closed position by a wire spring 33 mounted about hub 26, one end of this spring bearing against the under face of web 22 and the other end portion of the spring being bent4 As will be noted more clearly from F ig-` ures 3 and 4, the lower arm 24 of the latch member is disposed below the slot which receives coupling ring 11, and the bight portion of the' latch member is disposed rearwardly of the inner end walls of this slot so as to lbe exterior to the slot at the inner end thereof in the plane of the coupling ring 11. By this construction the load, during transportation, is taken by the head l5 which can readily be made of sufficient strength to withstand the stresses which itis subjected. When the coupling ring .ll moves rearwardly in the slot, due to relative movement of the coupling head. and the draw head toward each other, any jars incident to such movement of the coupling ring will he taken by the draw head at the inner or rearward end oi the slot. This construction is of considerable impartance as relieving the'latch member of all stresses incident to coupling and transportation of the load and of such character as would be apt to cause damage t0 or breakage of the latch member.

What I claim is l. ln coupling means of the character described, a coupling head comprisin a coupling element, a draw head provi ed with a slot open at one side and adapted for reception of said element, andv latch means guarding the open side of the slot and disposed outwardly beyond the end walls thereof in the plane of the coupling element wherel by the latch acts as a guiding means during the coupling operation and the load and shocks incident to coupling and transportation are taken directly by the draw head.

2. In coupling means of the character described, a coupling head comprising a cou pling element, a draw head provided with a transverse slot opening through its upper face and adapted for reception of said element, a pivoted latch member guarding the open side of the slot and disposed outwardly beyond the end walls thereof in the plane ci' the coupling element to act as a guiding means to guide the coupling element into the slot, and yielding means normally holding the latch member in operative position.

3. In coupling means of the character de scribed, a coupling head comprising a coupling element, a draw head having its upper ace inclined downwardly toward the coupling head, the draw head and the coupling element having relative vertical movement and the draw head having a transverse slot opening through its upper face and adapted for reception of said element, a pivoted latch member guarding the open side of said slot and comprising a membery extending forwardly beyond ,the slot and defining with the forward portion of the draw head a rearwardly converging passa e for directin the coupling element into t e slot, said atcb. member being disposed outwardly beyond the end walls oi the slot in the plane of the coupling element, and yielding' means normally holdingvhe latch member in operative position.

4. In coupling means oi the character dre-X scribed, a coupling head comprising acoupling element, a draw head provided in `its upper face `sith an upwardly opening transverse slot adapted ior reception of said element, a latch member extending below the slot and then upwardly' about the inner end of the slot and forwardly across the upper open side thereof, said latch member being pivoted on the head ou an axis extending transversely thereof and disposed in a. vertical plane .adjacent the the latch meint-Hs: c. isposed exteriorly of the inner c of kme slot in the plane of the coupling` e urging the latch n :ciber in closing direction. 5. In coupling means cf the character described, e, coupling head comprising a, coupling element, a. draw head provided in its upper face with anv upwardly opening transverse slot adapted for reception of said element, a latch member of approximately elonted U-shape defining an opening of greater extent than and extending about said slot at the lowerl and inner end portions thereof, the bight portion of the latch member being dis posed exteriorly of the inner end of the slot and the upper arm of the latch member overlying the upper open side of the slot and preventing withdrawal of the coupling element upwardly therefrom, the lower arm of the latch member being pivoted on the draw head on an axis disposed transversely thereof lnt, and yielding means.

.the transverse center of the coupling element when said element is at the outer end of the slot, and yielding means normally holding the latch member in operative position.

6. In coupling means of the character described, a coupling head comprising a coupling element, a draw head provided in its upper face with an upwardly opening transverse slot adapted for recept-ion of said element, and a latch member pivoted on the draw head on an axis extending transversely thereof and having an element extending across the open side of the slot and providing a guard therefor when the latch member is in operative position, the pivotal axis of the latch member being below the slot and on approximately dead kcenter with the couscribed, a coup `n the latch member being below the slot and so related thereto as to prevent movement of the latch member in opening directlonby upward pressure exerted thereon by said couplin element, the latch member being dis i pose exteriorly of the slot at the inner end thereof. A

8. vIn cou ling means of the character described, a (liaw head provided with an upwardly opening transverse slot in its upper face, a latch member of approximately elongated U-sha e extending elow the slot and then upwar 1y about the inner end thereof and forwardly over the o en side of the slot, providing a guard there or, vthe lower arm of said member being provided on the head un an axis extending transversely thereof and in a vertical plane adjacent the outer end of said slot, the latch member being disposed exteriorly of the inner end of the slot and having limited movement in elosin direction, and yielding means urging the atch member in closing direction. l

9. In cou ling means of the character described, a aw head provided with an upwardly opening transverse slot in its upper face, the outer end of said slot being of arcuate shape for reception of a coupling element of rounded section, a latch member of approximately elongated U-shape extending elow the slot and then upwardly about the inner end thereof and forwardly over the open side of the slot, .providing a guard therefor, the lower arm of said member be- 'ing limitedmovement in closingr direction,

and yielding means urging the steh meml ber in closing direction.

10. In coupling means of the character de scribed, a draw head having its upper face inclined downwardly and en'twardly, said head being provided in its upper face with an` upwardly opening-transverse slot, a latch 4 member of approximately elongated' U-shape extending below the slot and then upwardly about the inner end thereof 'with its upper arm extending forwardly over the open side of and beyond the slot, the under face of the forward end of said upper arm bein inclined downward] and inwardly of the ead and defining, wit the forward portion ,of said head, a passage converging toward the slot, the lower'arm of the latch member being ivoted on an axis extending transverse- 1 o the head and in vertical alignment with tile outer end portion of the slot, means limiting movement of the latch member in closing direction, and yielding means urging said latch member in closing direction. 11. In coupling means of the character described, a coupling member, a draw head pro- I vided with an upwardl o ening transverse slot in its u per ace, a atc member extending below t e slot and then upwardly at the inner end `thereof and forwardly over the open side of the slot, said latch member being pivoted on the head on an axis extending transversely thereof and in a vertical plane adjacent the outer end of the slot, whereby relativevertical movement of the coupler and head is ineffective tol move the latch member and yielding means urging the latch member in closing direction.

12. In coupling means of the character described, a. draw head comprising two spaced arms each provided in its upper face with a recess, ysaid recesses being aligned transversely of the head and forming an u wardly opening slot for reception of'a coup ing element, a, latch member of approximately elongated U-shape disposed between the arms and extending below the slot and then upwardly y about the inner end thereof and forwardly over the open side of the slot, the lower arm of said member being pivoted on an axis in a vertical lane adjacent the outer end of the slot, and) yielding means urging the latch member in closing direction.

13. In coupliner means of the character described, a dra-w liead comprising two spaced arms each provided in its upper face with a recess, said recesses being aligned transversely of the head and forming an upwardly opening slot for reception of avcouplng element, a latch member of approximately elongated U-shape disposed between the arms and extending below the slot and then upwardly about the inner end thereof and forwardly over the open side of the slot, the lower. arm of said member being pivoted on an axis in a vertical plane adjacent the outer end of thevslot and yielding means urging the latch member in closing direction, the arms extending forwardly beyond the bight portion of the latch member at the inner end of the slot. v

14. In coupling means of the character described, a draw head comprising a securing base, two arms extending from the base and a web element connecting the outer ends of the arms, each of the arms having a recess in its upper face and said recesses being alignedv transversely of the head and forming an upwardly opening slot for reception of a coupling element, a latch member of approximately elongated U-shape disposed between the arms and extending below the slot and then upwardly about the inner end thereof and forwardly over the open side of the slot, the lower arm of said member being pivoted on an axis in a vertical plane adjacent the outer end of the slot, means carried by the latch memberand cooperating with the web element for limiting closing movement of said member, and a spring coacting with said web element and the latch member for urging the latter in closing direction.

15. In a coupling device comprising a coupling member, and a draw-bar having a lateral notch therein, and a latch for closing the notch, means for guiding the coupling member into the notch comprising coacting converging faces on the latch and draw-bar, the coupling member being pivoted vto swing freely downwardly to facilitate sliding movement along the faces of the latch and drawbar in the coupling operation. v 16. A coupling means comprising a coupling member, a draw-bar having a. lateral notch therein in which the cou ling member may be engaged, and a latch -CFU-shape, one leg of which is pivotally attached to the draw-bar and the other of which is adapted to guard the entrance of the notch, the notch of the bar and the pivotal point of the latch being arranged in a vertical plane whereby relative vertical movement of the coupling member and draw-bar is prevented from disengaging them.

17. A coupling means including a coupling element and a draw head comprising two spaced side plates extending downwardly and outwardly, said plates being integrally connected at their rear ends by a iiange securing bracket and at their forward ends by a connecting web portion, each of said plates being provided with a recess aligned transversely of the draw head and forming an upwardly openingy slot for reception of said` cou pling element, and a U-shaped latch having a bearing extension intermediate its lower leg journaled on a pin disposed below said slot,

the portion of the lower leg extending be yond said bearing extension having a con cave cam surface for. raising said coupling element free of said slot and latch. V

18. A coupling means including a coupling element and a draw head comprising two spaced side plates extending downwardly and rearwardly, said plates being integrally connected at their rear ends by a flange securing bracket and at their forward ends by a connecting web portion, each of said plates being provided with a recess aligned transversely of the draw head and forming an upwardly opening slot for reception of said coupling element, and a U-shaped latch havoperative position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my namepthis 14th day of January, 1930. r

-aofi es v ioo'" p ELX J. Controls.` 

